Cross to bare: Topless Vatican protest (VIDEO)

A naked female activist from Ukraine’s Femen movement staged a short, but vivid, protest demanding “Freedom for women” in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square.

­Appearing in the square in a see-through blouse immediately
following the Pope’s regular Sunday address, the activist,
Aleksandra Shevchenko, waved her banner and started pulling her
clothes off. She was detained by Italian police in the space of
minutes.

The Italian police were expecting their visit, and Shevchenko’s
two associates were captured as they tried to make their way to
the square. Femen says an Australian journalist who accompanied
them was also detained for questioning.

The activists spent about four hours in detention.

According to a statement, Femen were protesting against the
anti-feminist policies of the Vatican that “impose
patriarchal, medieval concepts of social and cultural positioning
of women.”

Short, but vivid, protest

“Condemning the usage of contraceptives, worldwide
anti-abortion lobby, attempts to restrict the attire and the
appearance of women, and prohibition from acquiring church ranks
is nothing more than a foul-smelling belch of the witch
hunt,” the statement said.

“Women really hate Berlusconi. We are trying to show our
opinion to all people who are here today. We came to support them
and to say that politicians like Berlusconi and Yanukovich cannot
protect people who live in their own country,” one Femen
protester is quoted as saying by Associated Press.

Femen’s naked protest tour was supported by Italian former porn
star and Member of Parliament Ilona Staller. Known by her stage
name la Cicciolina, she is famous for delivering political
speeches with one breast exposed.

According to Ukrainian Ridus news agency, it was Staller, 59, who
invited Femen to Italy in the first place.